The VWs of Davao

Since November 22, 2016 I've been posting photos of VW Beetles that I happen upon in Dumaguete and the surrounding areas. At this point, I've posted photos in excess of 70 Beetles.

Knowing my obsession with Volkswagens, my friend Dom sent two Hot Wheels Volkswagens to me in January. That was before the pandemic hit and it seems so long ago.

Today, Dom sent an email with photos of VW Beetles. He lives in Davao and I'm assuming these VWs are in Davao as well. From the look of the streets, they could be in Anytown, Philippines. With the exception of the "Sponge Bob" VW, these look pretty much like the ones I've seen in Dumaguete ......even down to the beat-up white one.

I'm curious to know the back story of these VWs from Davao. I suspect that they are either owned by one man or else there's a sort of local VW club there.

 

Sorry For The Omission

 

When I made mention, earlier this month, of the passing of actor Sean Connery at age 90, I had forgotten about the passing of one of Connery's co-stars in the film, Goldfinger - Honor Blackman. Blackman was age 95. Of course, Blackman played the part of Pussy Galore.

Although Blackman had done quite a lot of work in both television and films, I'm sorry to say that I don't recall seeing her in anything other than Goldfinger.

In 2012 Blackman publicly criticized Sean Connery for his status as a tax exile. 

 "I disapprove of him strongly now. Because I don't think you should accept a title from a country and then pay absolutely no tax towards it. He wants it both ways. I don't think his principles are very high."

In response to accusations that he was a tax exile, Connery released documents in 2003 showing he had paid £3.7 million in UK taxes between 1997 and 1998 and between 2002 and 2003. As for Connery's title - well, personally, I don't go in for all that knighthood baloney, but if someone can pay fewer taxes, more power to them.

Two VW Photos From 2014

I haven't published a post about Volkswagens in Dumaguete since March of this year when I posted a photo of a VW parked along Hibbard Ave. I haven't really been out and about in the city during these days of the pandemic, so I haven't taken too many new photos of any kind.

After having some work done on my PC , I've spent time going thru the photos stored on the PC and doing some much needed editing and culling.

While going thru my old photos, I came upon these two VW photos from a Silliman University Founder's Day parade in 2014.

 

Rest In Peace, Mr. Bond

I noted in February, that I had discovered the first four James Bond films at ok.ru. In addition to watching the four films, I also went to fadedpage.com to download copies of Ian Fleming's Bond novels. It had been my intention to read all 15 in the series, but so far, I've only read the first five.

It stands as a testament to Sean Connery that even when I read the Bond novels, I see him as James Bond.

Like millions of others, I've been a fan of Sean Connery for most of my life. I can remember the first time I saw a James Bond film. It was in 1965. Goldfinger had just recently been released, and I was almost 13. My oldest cousin, who was 18 at the time, took his younger brother, myself and my younger brother to a triple feature of the three Bond films being shown at a local drive-in theater in Atlanta.

The three films were shown in the order they were released - Dr. No, From Russia With Love and Goldfinger. This was my first time seeing a Bond film, and I was especially looking forward to seeing Goldfinger......it was the latest one at the time, so it had to be the best.

1965 was a long, long time ago and things have certainly changed. In those days, kids weren't allowed to stay up all hours of the night and by the time Goldfinger started, it was way past my normal bedtime. As near as I can recall from those fifty-five years ago, I fell asleep in the back of my cousin's car before the final movie started.

It would be years before I was finally able to watch Goldfinger.